Except his murder in the flowershop I don't know much about him.

The Gennas sought to murder O'Banion, but Mike Merlo, the president of the Unione Siciliana, had business with O'Banion and prevented the Gennas from resorting to violence against them.

How would you guys rate him among his peers?

BTW 10 november 1924

So it's this year the 100th anniversary of his murder.

I read Chicago's contract killers could earn up to $300. But on a tap Dean bragged he was capable of sending a killer for $150.

O'Banion was probably schooled by young "leftovers" and associates of the old Irish mob, who in turn by the 1910s they began working with everyone or every ethnic criminal gang. Most of the old Irish mobsters were dead by that time and so O'Banion and the rest of his associates represented the real "scum" of the streets, meaning they were far from being original racketeers and corruptors, by mainly being involved in extortion, burglaries and also killed anyone who stood in their way, something which their predecessors wouldve think twice before doing it.

The first time O'Banion was recognized as leader of one of Chicago gangs was sometime around 1921/22, including by the current Mafia leader at the time Mike Merlo, followed by other bosses such as Cornelius P. Con Shea, Maxie Eisen and Jerry O'Connor. In 1924, there was a huge mob meeting which included O'Banion, Shea, O'Connor, Drucci, Weiss, Alterie, Gusenberg, followed by an "army" of local corrupt government officials, and sources say that Eisen was allegedly the "chairman" of that same gathering. They were allegedly preparing for an attack against the Mafia and other gangs.

As you already know, that same year O'Banion was betrayed and eliminated by the Mafia, and I think that the main guy who betrayed them was possibly Eisen himself since later he joined the Outfit.

If we have to rank O'Banion, from organized crime point of view, I would say he was below Eisen according to the whole situation. I also believe, since he was Italian, that Drucci probably had the power to change the whole situation but his huge ego was the end of him, too.

Wow TD, much appreciated.

You're always welcome bro.

Good you mention Maxie Eisen, with German-Jewish roots, was also an interesting player.

Eisen was helluva of a racketeer. Believe or not, he and Skidmore schooled many future Italian members.

I only found one pic of Eisen.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...7nUcP3WjY7rXjQEl&id=1073473026161337

Sorry bud I dont have FB but I have this one of Eisen...

...found two more....





.....and also a pic of Eisen's brother Jack Eisen who in turn was also a gangster...

Thanks TD no idea how to copy from facebook it.is a pic in court, where he received a 6 months sentence.
Another jewish member from the North Side was Samuel "Nails" Morton.

The roaring 20s were crazy so many guys live fast die young !

You're welcome bud and yeah, Morton used to be one of the most notorious and respected Jewish gangster from his era, but too bad he was closely connected to O'Banion and his associates. I think you probably know that Morton died quite young in 1924 (I think) during an accident when he fell while riding a horse in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Story goes that his associates allegedly abducted the animal and shot it several times in the head.


Nails Morton

Thanks Morton was also a beloved WWI veteran, according to a Chicago newspaper (lol) his funeral was also huge.

The killing of the horse was featured in this classic.

Thanks a lot buddy. Great scene and also great movie.

....another interesting example of a gangster killing a horse, was Chicago's Mafia leader Samoots Amatuna. Story goes that Amatuna allegedly extorted all laundry wagon drivers and so one day, Amatuna chased one Chinese wagon driver who later got caught and so, Amatuna spared the Chinese guy's life and shot the horse instead.